BILL NUMBER: AB 253	CHAPTERED  09/16/99

	CHAPTER   406
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 16, 1999
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   SEPTEMBER 16, 1999
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   SEPTEMBER 1, 1999
	PASSED THE SENATE   AUGUST 30, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 25, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   MAY 28, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   APRIL 6, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Thomson

                        FEBRUARY 1, 1999

   An act to amend Section 4980.41 of the Business and Professions
Code, relating to licensing.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 253, Thomson.  Licensing.
   Under existing law, all applicants for licensure as a marriage and
family therapist who are pursuing a master's or doctor's degree are
required to complete certain coursework as part of their graduate
studies, with specified exceptions.
   This bill would require an applicant, after January 1, 2001, to
complete coursework in psychological testing and psychopharmacology,
as specified.  The bill would also provide that these provisions in
no way expand or restrict the scope of licensure of a marriage and
family therapist.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 4980.41 of the Business and Professions Code is
amended to read:
   4980.41.  All applicants for licensure shall complete the
following coursework or training in order to be eligible to sit for
the licensing examinations:
   (a) A two semester or three quarter unit course in California law
and professional ethics for marriage, family, and child counselors,
which shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas of
study:
   (1) Contemporary professional ethics and statutory, regulatory,
and decisional laws that delineate the profession's scope of
practice.
   (2) The therapeutic, clinical, and practical considerations
involved in the legal and ethical practice of marriage, family, and
child counseling, including family law.
   (3) The current legal patterns and trends in the mental health
profession.
   (4) The psychotherapist/patient privilege, confidentiality, the
patient dangerous to self or others, and the treatment of minors with
and without parental consent.
   (5) A recognition and exploration of the relationship between a
practitioner's sense of self and human values and his or her
professional behavior and ethics.
   This course may be considered as part of the 48 semester or 72
quarter unit requirements contained in Section 4980.40.
   (b) A minimum of seven contact hours of training or coursework in
child abuse assessment and reporting as specified in Section 28 or
any regulations promulgated thereunder.
   (c) A minimum of 10 contact hours of training or coursework in
human sexuality as specified in Section 25, and any regulations
promulgated thereunder.  When coursework in a master's or doctor's
degree program is acquired to satisfy this requirement, it shall be
considered as part of the 48 semester or 72 quarter unit requirement
contained in Section 4980.40.
   (d) Except for persons who began graduate study prior to January
1, 1986, a master's or doctor's degree qualifying for licensure shall
include specific instruction in alcoholism and other chemical
substance dependency as specified by regulation.  When coursework in
a master's or doctor's degree program is acquired to satisfy this
requirement, it shall be considered as part of the 48 semester or 72
quarter unit requirement contained in Section 4980.40.
   (e) Except for persons who began graduate study prior to January
1, 1995, a master's or doctor's degree qualifying for licensure shall
include coursework in spousal or partner abuse assessment,
detection, and intervention.  Coursework required under this
subdivision may be satisfactory if taken either in fulfillment of
other educational requirements for licensure or in a separate course.
  The requirement for coursework in spousal or partner abuse
detection and treatment shall be satisfied by, and the board shall
accept in satisfaction of the requirement, a certification from the
chief academic officer of the educational institution from which the
applicant graduated that the required coursework is included within
the institution's required curriculum for graduation.
   (f) Except for persons who began graduate study prior to January
1, 2001, an applicant shall complete a minimum of a two semester or
three quarter unit survey course in psychological testing.  When
coursework in a master's or doctor's degree program is acquired to
satisfy this requirement, it may be considered as part of the 48
semester or 72 quarter unit requirement of Section 4980.40.
   (g) Except for persons who began graduate study prior to January
1, 2001, an applicant shall complete a minimum of a two semester or
three quarter unit survey course in psychopharmacology.  When
coursework in a master's or doctor's degree program is acquired to
satisfy this requirement, it may be considered as part of the 48
semester or 72 quarter unit requirement of Section 4980.40.
   (h) The requirements added by subdivisions (f) and (g) are
intended to improve the educational qualifications for licensure in
order to better prepare future licentiates for practice, and are not
intended in any way to expand or restrict the scope of licensure for
marriage and family therapists.
